The Sorceress and the Smith
by VivaAmerica
Summary: There was something magical about the way Lovina cooked... Spain/Fem!Romano. Birthday fic for Epic F. Awesomesauce!
1. Chapter 1

**This is a special (veryveryvery) late birthday present for Epic F. Awesomesauce, my good friend, editor and senpai. Hope y'all enjoy!**

* * *

The town was small, its main street was the only street and most of the families were related somewhat distantly. Despite the size it was also one of the most famous areas in the kingdom. No baron or lord lived there, no battle had been fought in the area and yet its fame was widely acknowledged. The inn was the reason for the status, but it wasn't because the innkeeper, Roderich by name, had favorable prices or offered exquisite services (though, the prices were fair and the rooms were all neat and clean). No, the reason travelers went out of their way to visit for a night was the food.

Ever since Elizaveta, Roderich's wife, had hired an assistant cook the food had turned from a good dinner to a great feast. The change wasn't from Elizaveta herself, she readily joked that she'd be out of a job if she wasn't married to Roderich. It rested solely on the assistant cook.

There was something almost magical about the way Lovina cooked, her expert fingers could crimp a pie crust in seconds and then it'd be in the oven and she'd be working on the next dish faster than lightning. She combined efficiency, speed and good taste with wonderful results. She would add spices by instinct, not wasting her time to actually measure them out but simply adding a dash of this and that as her taste dictated. Her pasta based dishes in particular were cooked to perfection. Elizaveta had long ago given Lovina complete control of the meals and was more than happy to follow her instructions.

If the inn was the heart of the town, Lovina was the pulse. Roderich knew it, Elizaveta knew it, the rest of the townspeople knew it and they were all perfectly happy with the arrangement.

* * *

Antonio wiped at his brow briefly and took a sip of water from a pail of water nearby, not caring when half the liquid spilled onto his leather apron. Refreshed, he turned his attention back to the plow blade a farmer had commissioned. Grabbing some tongs he pulled the hot metal out of his forge and grabbed a hammer. Setting it on a stone slab, he began to beat out the shape of the blade carefully, being patient and taking his time like he'd been taught so long ago by the former smith.

It was particularly hot this summer and today was hotter still. Most of the townsfolk stayed inside to escape the heat and the main street was almost barren. The only sign of activity came from the inn which, of course, wasn't unusual. Some wagoners had arrived around midday with heavy cargoes and a terrible hunger. Antonio didn't doubt for an instant that they were less than satisfied with the meal provided. Nothing Miss Lovina made ever tasted bad.

When the blade was finished, he dipped it into a large bucket of water and watched in fascination as the heat made the water hiss and steam. Heat had never bothered Antonio, which was why he was working in his open-air shop late in the afternoon on a hot summer's day. Oh, he got hot and sweated like any other man, but it didn't cause unbearable discomfort like it would for most others. He waited until he was sure the blade was cool before pulling it out and setting it aside. Since the plow was his last work for the day he let the fire go out and pulled off the apron. Large sweatmarks had formed in the chest and armpit areas of his shirt underneath. With a grimace of annoyance he quickly pulled off the shirt and used it to wipe at the sweat on the back of his neck.

"Are you busy?"

Antonio yelp and spun around, clutching the shirt to his chest. Miss Lovina was standing in the doorway of his shop, holding a large pot with both hands. The bright sun burnished her dark copper hair and caught her hazel eyes in just the right way. There was a smudge of dirt on the side of her nose and her hair was a bit ruffled, but those details couldn't diminish her beauty.

"I-I-I didn't know you were there," he stuttered.

One of Lovina's eyebrows arched upwards. "Obviously." She flipped the pot upside down and held it up for his inspection. "There's a hole in it. Small, but even so I can't use it," she said, getting right to the point of her visit.

Antonio took the pot and looked it over. A tiny hole on the very bottom caught his eye. "I can fix it," he said confidently. "I'll get started right away and give it to you this evening, tomorrow at most."

Lovina shook her head. "Don't put yourself out of your way." She glanced meaningfully at the dying fire in his forge.

The smith smiled and swept his arms out expansively (forgetting that it left his chest exposed to her eyes). "It's no trouble, Miss Lovi-" A loud yelp from the street made them both turn around.

A group of boys were huddled in the far end of the street, laughing and hitting something with sticks. Another yowl and a gap in the circle suddenly brought the situation into light. One of the baker's large mastiffs had given birth a month ago to several puppies. These boys (probably some farm lads who came to town to "entertain" themselves) had caught one of the poor things and were taking enjoyment in its suffering.

"Those brutes!" Lovina hissed, her face going white with rage.

Unthinking, Antonio grabbed a staff and walked past her. He too was appalled by their callousness. "I'll take care of them!"

"Stop, Antonio!"

The command in Lovina's voice was so sharp it forced his compliance. He turned to face her, ready to argue, but was silenced by the look on her face. Her eyes had a far off, distant gaze than indicated her concentration was somewhere else. There was a strange glow in her eyes that looked somewhat unearthly... A second passed and the expression cleared.

There was a clatter in the street and suddenly the pup's mother was running towards the group of boys. With a snarl of protective rage the mastiff's jaw clamped around the biggest boy's arm. He howled in pain and tried to shake her off but to no avail. The others scattered with shrieks of fear, dropping their sticks as fright overcame them. The mother held on until the arm was suitably bloody, then she released the bully and snarled. The boy ran after his friends, sobbing.

Antonio was shaken by the sudden, vicious spectacle. "I thought Vash kept all of his dogs tied up," he confessed.

Lovina shrugged lightly and brushed some dust off her sleeve. "Well, she certainly taught those scoundrels a lesson. Don't bother with that pot tonight, I won't need it for a few days yet." She cast another satisfied glance at the dogs before heading back towards the inn.

* * *

Elizaveta looked up from where she was chopping up carrots as Lovina walked into the kitchen. "Is everything alright?" she asked. "I thought I heard a dog!"

Lovina waved her concern away. "It was nothing," she said. Quickly washing her hands, she joined her friend at the table and started slicing some tomatoes. Without looking over her shoulder, she reprimanded, "Gilbert, get away from the fire."

Elizaveta gasped and turned in time to see her wayward son run from the ovens. "How did he- he was just-!"

Gilbert snickered and ducked under the table, settling at Lovina's feet. "Aunt Lovi!" he called, tugging at the skirt of her dress.

"Yes?" Lovina answered. She was known to be waspish and short-tempered, but she always had a reservoir of patience when it came to the small, scrappy albino boy at her feet. Perhaps it was because she had helped Elizaveta give birth to him six years ago. The local physician had been away at another town and Roderich had gone in search of him, leaving Lovina the only person skilled enough in medicine to help his wife through the difficult labor.

The boy twirled the edge of the fabric around his finger. "You went to see Uncle Toni, right?" All adults he was familiar with were "aunt" and "uncle" in his eyes.

"Yes, I did."

"You stayed there a long time."

"Yes, I got distracted." Lovina allowed a small smile to flit across her face. Antonio certainly had the build of a smith…

"Why don't you marry him?"

"WHAT?!"

"Gilbert!" Elizaveta scolded. She let her knife clatter onto the table and she ducked down under the table. Grabbing him firmly by the arm, she proceeded to drag him towards the door. "Shoo, go bother your father for a change!"

"It was only a suggestion!"

"Shoo!"

Lovina waited until the blush had left her face before finishing the tomatoes. She scooped them up and dropped them into a pan where some other vegetables were frying.

Elizaveta immediately apologized, and of course Lovina brushed it aside. "He's so unmanageable sometimes," Elizaveta sighed.

"He's a boy," Lovina explained bluntly. They shared a small laugh and Elizaveta left the kitchen for a bit to check on her guests like any good hostess.

Once she was sure she was alone, she gathered her power and let it slip into the cooking vegetables. It was a simple charm, it didn't _guarantee _good health, but it definitely reduced the chances of someone eating it from becoming ill. Of course, she never used magic to make the food taste better, that would abolish any pride she had in her work. Her skill came from years of practice. Years and years and years…

A slight melancholy overcame her. She'd watched so many friends die over the years of her unnaturally long life. And since she never aged visibly she was always forced to travel, lest anyone notice anything "odd" about her. She'd probably have to leave this little town soon, six years was a little too long.

Such was the life of an undercover sorceress.

* * *

**I'd be lying if I said this wasn't inspired by David Eddings' series, **_**The Belgariad**_**. Polgara and Durnik are the best couple! And they remind me of Spamano sooooo….  
**

_**Editor: It's so cuute! X3  
YOU MUST WRITE MOOOOORE!**_

**Bu-But… You say that about all my stories. =A= **

_**Don't knock the truth!**_

**...Fiiiiiiiine. *sulks***

_**;)**_

**Meh, happy birthday, Epic!**

_**YES! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUU~**_

**Expect the next chapter whenever I finish it. :P  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Phew, finally managed to get this done! **

* * *

_Elizaveta lay on her bed, gasping in pain and fear. Lovina stood over her, holding the limp baby in her hands. _

"_Why isn't he crying?!" Elizaveta demanded. "Aren't babies supposed to cry? Why isn't my son breathing?!" _

_Lovina wrapped the bundle in a blanket and set it on a table. "I'm working on it," she said, wiping away the afterbirth from its face and setting it on a nearby table._

"_...He's dead, isn't he?" the young mother asked, tears flooding her raw eyes. _

_She was startled when Lovina whipped around to look at her with a stare so intense it seemed to peer into her very mind. "Your son is going to live," she promised, her voice so severe that Elizaveta couldn't do anything but believe her. _

* * *

Gilbert sat on a low stool in the corner of the kitchen and watched Aunt Lovina intently, munching on a bit of carrot she had slipped him when his mother had been distracted. His aunt was kneading dough for bread, the sleeves of her dress rolled up and flour smeared over her face. Her precise hands pushed and tugged and folded the dough into submission with the same smooth repetition of movements. She was humming under her breath (she always did that when she cooked) and there was a far off look in her eyes.

"Aunt Lovi?"

Lovina looked over her shoulder at him, her hazel eyes questioning. Gilbert finished the last bite of his carrot and asked around the mouthful, "Do you remember yesterday?"

"Yes, I do." Lovina returned her attention back to the dough briefly, grabbing a handful of flour and scattering it over the surface of the table so the bread wouldn't stick to it.

"Do you remember what I asked you?" Gilbert pressed.

"You ask a lot of questions."

"I meant the question about Uncle Toni."

Lovina turned around fully and her steely expression warned of upcoming danger. "Gilbert…"

"Why don't you want to marry Uncle Toni?

"I don't think this is the right time-"

He likes you a lot. I've seen him stare at you like how papa stares at mama."

"Gilbert!"

Her tone finally cowed him into silence. Gilbert sensed that for the first time in his life she was close to yelling at him. He'd seen her yell at people before - lots and lots of people - and he'd delighted in the knowledge the _he _was safe from such attacks. But now, with her eyes flashing and her hands akimbo, Gilbert was afraid of his surrogate aunt. He hunched down in his seat, watching her apprehensively (and somewhat sullenly; it was just a simple question!).

Today was his lucky day however, because she took a deep breath and let out a frustrated sigh, her hands falling to her sides. He could feel her gathering in all of her patience as she tried to explain the puzzling situation.

"Gilbert…" she began. "I am not interested in getting married. I've got too much to do without worrying about marriage." She nodded once, as if recommiting herself to this creed, and turned back to the table.

The albino boy thought about this for a moment before hopping to his feet and padding over to the table. He wrapped his arms around Lovina's knees and hugged her tightly. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Lovina sighed and patted his head. Some of the flour on her hands blended into his white hair but the rest made him sneeze. "It's okay, no harm done."

"Is something wrong?"

Aunt and nephew gasped and turned to the doorway that lead outside. Antonio stood there with Lovina's pot in his hands and a look of concern on his face. Lovina recovered first and briskly strode over to him, hampered a bit as Gilbert continued clinging to her. "It's nothing," she assured him. She looked at the bottom of the pot and noticed the shiny patch at the bottom where the hole had been. She looked up and smiled gratefully, though it was restrained. "Thank you, To- ...Antonio," she amended, painfully aware of the witness at her feet.

Antonio nodded his head courteously. "It was no trouble, Miss Lovina."

Elizaveta's voice suddenly blared up through the door at the opposite end of the kitchen that led to the rest of the inn. "Lovina! I need you for a moment!"

Lovina sighed a bit grumpily and set the pot on a counter. She left behind a vague goodbye and left Gilbert standing by the table and Antonio at the threshold. Gilbert glanced at Uncle Toni and noticed a somewhat foolish expression on his face as he watched her leave. For a moment he was pleased… then he remembered that Aunt Lovi didn't _want _to get married. He immediately scowled and was thinking of something to say that would head off any advances Uncle Toni was planning to make (he really liked Uncle Toni, but his aunt always came first). However, before he could use words that would doubtlessly have shocked his parents, Antonio's normally cheerful face morphed into a forlorn expression and he let out a hopeless sigh.

"You know," he told Gilbert. "Your aunt is too good for anyone in this town." He ran a hand through his thick, curly brown hair and left, his shoulders slumped a bit.

Gilbert pouted and grabbed another carrot. It was a shame Aunt Lovi didn't want to get married.

* * *

**Have some filler! XD I hope y'all don't mind, I just wanted to strengthen the bonds between Lovina and Gilbert and her ties to the town a bit. The next chapter will be more interesting (hopefully)! **

_This is Epic and I approve this birthday message._

***huffs* You better! I'm pushing aside some Disneytalia chapters for this (jk, jk, I'm having writer's block with one of them XP)! **


	3. Chapter 3

_Run, fratello!" Lovina barked, urging her twin to flee faster. There was a large crash behind them as a boulder was shattered into fragments. An ugly black fog curled around their feet, plucked at their cloaks and obscured the dirt path in front of them. Lovina snorted at this cheap trick and shot a white ball of pure, clean magic at the fog; there was a hiss and it disappeared. Behind them came a yell of frustration. _

_"W-where are we going?" her brother panted. He looked over his shoulder and his face turned pasty white. "Th-they have-" A loud, inhuman roar bellowed up far too close for comfort. Greeeat, they'd found a troll. _

_Up ahead she could see the road split into two paths. She pointed to the fork. "We have to split up! It'll be harder for them to catch us!" _

_"Split up?!" _

_"Yes, find somewhere safe to hide." _

_"But-" _

_Lovina grunted with frustration and as they reached the split she shoved him onto the road on the right. "Keep running, Feli! Don't let them catch you!" _

_Another roar rent the night air._

* * *

"You're leaving?!"

Lovina winced at the agast looks on Roderich and Elizaveta's faces. It was late in the evening and all the inn's customers had gone to bed. She'd brought up the painful subject while preparing bread for the morning (it was easier to talk about difficult things if her hands were occupied). Of course, she'd meant for only Elizaveta to hear at first but her husband had walked in at just the wrong time.

"Yes, I'm afraid I'll have to leave soon," she said.

Elizaveta teared up and Roderich spluttered. "I-Is it about money?" he asked anxiously. "Or some other matter I can help with?"

"No Roderich, I couldn't be happier here. It's a family matter though and can't be avoided. I… don't want to leave," she explained gently. It was true, she loved this quiet town, along with the sensible and ernest people that lived in it. Roderich, Elizaveta, and Gilbert were almost like family themselves. Gilbert… Tears came unbidden to her eyes but she blinked them back. "Don't worry, Elizaveta's as good a cook as I am. No one will know the difference when I leave."

"But we will!" Elizaveta exclaimed, pulling her into a tight hug. Lovina returned it awkwardly, affection wasn't really her thing. "When are you leaving?" her friend finally asked.

"Tonight, right now. My belongings are all packed." she glanced apologetically at Roderich. "I'm sorry to leave on such short notice. It can't be helped."

The innkeeper nodded curtly. "I'll get your wages."

"You don't have to."

"I insist."

The two women watched him walk out of the kitchen and stood there awkwardly. Elizaveta dabbed at her eyes with the handkerchief Lovina had embroidered pink flowers on. Lovina let the dough rest and wiped some flour off her hands. Finally, she asked the fatal question. "...What are you going to tell Gilbert?"

"I… don't know. Would you like to wake him up and say goodbye?"

"No."

* * *

A chill wind whipped through the street of the small village, a welcome relief for the few animals standing nearby. They soon became nervous however, as some strange wave of animosity quickly followed it. Horses snorted in fear and dogs growled. A tall figure, cloaked and cowled, appeared at the end of the road. It advanced patiently, slowly, a sickly black fog pooling around him, spreading to the beasts and shutting them up.

The figure paused as the door of the largest building opened… and his prey walked out. The fog was quickly recalled until it hovered, a somber mass of despair, around his ankles. The woman was carrying two bundles, one small and one heavy, as she walked away. Someone called to her from the building and she turned once to give a final goodbye.

Distracted as she was, the figure struck, his fog zooming towards her unprotected back.

"Lovina!"

A man ran out to meet her from a different building. The fog immediately dissipated enough to be invisible to the eye. The figure growled softly and retreated into a shadow, watching the man and his prey. She looked surprised, chagrined. He recalled all of his unearthly mist and it gathered at his ankles. He could wait if he must…

* * *

"Lovina!"

Lovina turned and looked unnerved by Antonio's sudden arrival. He had to admit that he was also taken aback by her appearance so late in the evening. Antonio had been sitting at the table of his small house, looking at the stars from his window, when he'd seen Lovina leave the inn. It looked as if she were carrying something cumbersome so of course he'd gone out to help her. As he'd ran to greet her something dark had caught the corner of his eye but a quick glance had dismissed it as a shadow.

"W-what are you doing up this late?" Lovina asked, putting down one of her bundles and brushing some soft, auburn hair from her face. The moonlight made her eyes glow like they had a couple days before, only softer.

Antonio shrugged, a little embarrassed. "I couldn't sleep. I saw you and thought you might need help." He gestured to her bundles and she blushed.

"I'm fine," she answered, picking up the larger object - it looked like a bag really - and hoisting it up to her waist.

"Are you sure? I can carry those bags wherever you need to go," Antonio offered. "Just name the place and I-"

"No, Toni," Lovina replied firmly. "I'm… leaving."

A blow to the chest couldn't have affected Antonio more. It took all of his strength to keep his expression neutral as his heart ached. "Oh! ...You're going on a trip then? When w-will you be back?" He sounded calm except for that annoying crack in his voice.

Lovina looked down, hiding her face. "I'm not coming back, Toni."

Ow, ow, _ow_.

"It's- you see, my family-..."

It hurt, his heart physically _hurt_.

"I'll miss you."

The blacksmith's head jerked up, desperate. Lovina eyed him sadly, her posture drooping and forlorn. It seemed as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders, as if she'd had to do this sort of thing before. She blushed again and coughed brusquely. "I-I mean, I'll miss everyone here."

Antonio nodded, his hopes wilting again. "We will all miss you, Lovi." A pregnant pause followed.

"Well… I'd better be going," Lovina finally whispered.

"Yes, goodbye." _It hurt, it hurt, it HURT!_ Antonio backed up a few steps to the edge of the road and prepared to watch his heart walk away. The dark thing from before caught his eyes again and this time, when he turned to look, he saw it.

A black figure surrounded by an eerie fog was walking towards Lovina, their long strides eating up the yards. Without warning the fog rushed forward, like a rolling wave of doom, aiming straight for Lovina. She was distracted with adjusting something in her bag.

"Watch out!" Antonio shouted. Before he knew it he was pushing Lovina out of the way of the fog with no regard for his own escape. He was vaguely aware of something cold and malevolent oozing into his soul before he lost all conscious thought.

Lovina screamed in horror as her friend toppled to the ground. She screamed again, louder this time, when she caught sight of the sable dressed figure approaching rapidly. Noises came from nearby houses and people stirred near their windows, attracted by the commotion. A low chuckle came from the intruder and a blast of mist spread to every nook and cranny of the village. The people soon quieted again as an overpowering urge to sleep claimed them; only Lovina could resist its power, and only because she used her own magic to ward off the spell. She knelt next to Antonio and grabbed his wrist. There was a pulse, faint and weak, beneath his suddenly clammy skin. His eyelids fluttered and his stirred restlessly, caught in a bad dream.

A shadow swept over them and Lovina looked up. Purple eyes glowed, the only source of light from the hooded one less that a foot from them. Lovina gulped as she realized that they had found her again and that she was on her own…

* * *

**MWAHAHA! Cliffhanger anyone? You've probably guessed this already but I'm gonna make you wait for the Spamano. X3 **


End file.
